One morning, while Miss Ophelia was busy in some of her domestic cares,St. Clare's voice was heard, calling her at the foot of the stairs.

"Come down here, Cousin, I've something to show you."

"What is it?" said Miss Ophelia, coming down, with her sewing in herhand.

"I've made a purchase for your department,--see here," said St. Clare;and, with the word, he pulled along a little negro girl, about eight ornine years of age.

She was one of the blackest of her race; and her round shining eyes,glittering as glass beads, moved with quick and restless glances overeverything in the room. Her mouth, half open with astonishment at thewonders of the new Mas'r's parlor, displayed a white and brilliant setof teeth. Her woolly hair was braided in sundry little tails, whichstuck out in every direction. The expression of her face was an oddmixture of shrewdness and cunning, over which was oddly drawn, like akind of veil, an expression of the most doleful gravity and solemnity.She was dressed in a single filthy, ragged garment, made of bagging; andstood with her hands demurely folded before her. Altogether, there wassomething odd and goblin-like about her appearance,--something, as MissOphelia afterwards said, "so heathenish," as to inspire that good ladywith utter dismay; and turning to St. Clare, she said,

"Augustine, what in the world have you brought that thing here for?"

"For you to educate, to be sure, and train in the way she should go.I thought she was rather a funny specimen in the Jim Crow line. Here,Topsy," he added, giving a whistle, as a man would to call the attentionof a dog, "give us a song, now, and show us some of your dancing."

The black, glassy eyes glittered with a kind of wicked drollery, and thething struck up, in a clear shrill voice, an odd negro melody, to whichshe kept time with her hands and feet, spinning round, clapping herhands, knocking her knees together, in a wild, fantastic sort oftime, and producing in her throat all those odd guttural sounds whichdistinguish the native music of her race; and finally, turning asummerset or two, and giving a prolonged closing note, as odd andunearthly as that of a steam-whistle, she came suddenly down on thecarpet, and stood with her hands folded, and a most sanctimoniousexpression of meekness and solemnity over her face, only broken by thecunning glances which she shot askance from the corners of her eyes.

Miss Ophelia stood silent, perfectly paralyzed with amazement. St.Clare, like a mischievous fellow as he was, appeared to enjoy herastonishment; and, addressing the child again, said,

"Topsy, this is your new mistress. I'm going to give you up to her; seenow that you behave yourself."

"Yes, Mas'r," said Topsy, with sanctimonious gravity, her wicked eyestwinkling as she spoke.

"You're going to be good, Topsy, you understand," said St. Clare.

"O yes, Mas'r," said Topsy, with another twinkle, her hands stilldevoutly folded.

"Now, Augustine, what upon earth is this for?" said Miss Ophelia. "Yourhouse is so full of these little plagues, now, that a body can't setdown their foot without treading on 'em. I get up in the morning, andfind one asleep behind the door, and see one black head poking out fromunder the table, one lying on the door-mat,--and they are mopping andmowing and grinning between all the railings, and tumbling over thekitchen floor! What on earth did you want to bring this one for?"

"For you to educate--didn't I tell you? You're always preaching abouteducating. I thought I would make you a present of a fresh-caughtspecimen, and let you try your hand on her, and bring her up in the wayshe should go."

"_I_ don't want her, I am sure;--I have more to do with 'em now than Iwant to."

"That's you Christians, all over!--you'll get up a society, and get somepoor missionary to spend all his days among just such heathen. But letme see one of you that would take one into your house with you, and takethe labor of their conversion on yourselves! No; when it comes to that,they are dirty and disagreeable, and it's too much care, and so on."

"Augustine, you know I didn't think of it in that light," said MissOphelia, evidently softening. "Well, it might be a real missionarywork," said she, looking rather more favorably on the child.

St. Clare had touched the right string. Miss Ophelia's conscientiousnesswas ever on the alert. "But," she added, "I really didn't see the needof buying this one;--there are enough now, in your house, to take all mytime and skill."

"Well, then, Cousin," said St. Clare, drawing her aside, "I ought tobeg your pardon for my good-for-nothing speeches. You are so good,after all, that there's no sense in them. Why, the fact is, this concernbelonged to a couple of drunken creatures that keep a low restaurantthat I have to pass by every day, and I was tired of hearing herscreaming, and them beating and swearing at her. She looked bright andfunny, too, as if something might be made of her;--so I bought her, andI'll give her to you. Try, now, and give her a good orthodox New Englandbringing up, and see what it'll make of her. You know I haven't any giftthat way; but I'd like you to try."

"Well, I'll do what I can," said Miss Ophelia; and she approached hernew subject very much as a person might be supposed to approach a blackspider, supposing them to have benevolent designs toward it.

"She's dreadfully dirty, and half naked," she said.

"Well, take her down stairs, and make some of them clean and clothe herup."

Miss Ophelia carried her to the kitchen regions.

"Don't see what Mas'r St. Clare wants of 'nother nigger!" said Dinah,surveying the new arrival with no friendly air. "Won't have her aroundunder _my_ feet, _I_ know!"

"Pah!" said Rosa and Jane, with supreme disgust; "let her keep out ofour way! What in the world Mas'r wanted another of these low niggersfor, I can't see!"

"You go long! No more nigger dan you be, Miss Rosa," said Dinah,who felt this last remark a reflection on herself. "You seem to tinkyourself white folks. You an't nerry one, black _nor_ white, I'd like tobe one or turrer."

Miss Ophelia saw that there was nobody in the camp that would undertaketo oversee the cleansing and dressing of the new arrival; and so shewas forced to do it herself, with some very ungracious and reluctantassistance from Jane.

It is not for ears polite to hear the particulars of the first toilet ofa neglected, abused child. In fact, in this world, multitudes must liveand die in a state that it would be too great a shock to the nerves oftheir fellow-mortals even to hear described. Miss Ophelia had a good,strong, practical deal of resolution; and she went through all thedisgusting details with heroic thoroughness, though, it must beconfessed, with no very gracious air,--for endurance was the utmostto which her principles could bring her. When she saw, on the back andshoulders of the child, great welts and calloused spots, ineffaceablemarks of the system under which she had grown up thus far, her heartbecame pitiful within her.

"See there!" said Jane, pointing to the marks, "don't that show she'sa limb? We'll have fine works with her, I reckon. I hate these niggeryoung uns! so disgusting! I wonder that Mas'r would buy her!"

The "young un" alluded to heard all these comments with the subdued anddoleful air which seemed habitual to her, only scanning, with a keen andfurtive glance of her flickering eyes, the ornaments which Jane wore inher ears. When arrayed at last in a suit of decent and wholeclothing, her hair cropped short to her head, Miss Ophelia, with somesatisfaction, said she looked more Christian-like than she did, and inher own mind began to mature some plans for her instruction.

Sitting down before her, she began to question her.

"How old are you, Topsy?"

"Dun no, Missis," said the image, with a grin that showed all her teeth.

"Don't know how old you are? Didn't anybody ever tell you? Who was yourmother?"

"Never had none!" said the child, with another grin.

"Never had any mother? What do you mean? Where were you born?"

"Never was born!" persisted Topsy, with another grin, that looked sogoblin-like, that, if Miss Ophelia had been at all nervous, she mighthave fancied that she had got hold of some sooty gnome from the landof Diablerie; but Miss Ophelia was not nervous, but plain andbusiness-like, and she said, with some sternness,

"You mustn't answer me in that way, child; I'm not playing with you.Tell me where you were born, and who your father and mother were."

"Never was born," reiterated the creature, more emphatically; "never hadno father nor mother, nor nothin'. I was raised by a speculator, withlots of others. Old Aunt Sue used to take car on us."

The child was evidently sincere, and Jane, breaking into a short laugh,said,

"Laws, Missis, there's heaps of 'em. Speculators buys 'em up cheap, whenthey's little, and gets 'em raised for market."

"How long have you lived with your master and mistress?"

"Dun no, Missis."

"Is it a year, or more, or less?"

"Dun no, Missis."

"Laws, Missis, those low negroes,--they can't tell; they don't knowanything about time," said Jane; "they don't know what a year is; theydon't know their own ages.

"Have you ever heard anything about God, Topsy?"

The child looked bewildered, but grinned as usual.

"Do you know who made you?"

"Nobody, as I knows on," said the child, with a short laugh.

The idea appeared to amuse her considerably; for her eyes twinkled, andshe added,

"I spect I grow'd. Don't think nobody never made me."

"Do you know how to sew?" said Miss Ophelia, who thought she would turnher inquiries to something more tangible.

"No, Missis."

"What can you do?--what did you do for your master and mistress?"

"Fetch water, and wash dishes, and rub knives, and wait on folks."

"Were they good to you?"

"Spect they was," said the child, scanning Miss Ophelia cunningly.

Miss Ophelia rose from this encouraging colloquy; St. Clare was leaningover the back of her chair.

"You find virgin soil there, Cousin; put in your own ideas,--you won'tfind many to pull up."

Miss Ophelia's ideas of education, like all her other ideas, werevery set and definite; and of the kind that prevailed in New Englanda century ago, and which are still preserved in some very retired andunsophisticated parts, where there are no railroads. As nearly as couldbe expressed, they could be comprised in very few words: to teach themto mind when they were spoken to; to teach them the catechism, sewing,and reading; and to whip them if they told lies. And though, of course,in the flood of light that is now poured on education, these are leftfar away in the rear, yet it is an undisputed fact that our grandmothersraised some tolerably fair men and women under this regime, as many ofus can remember and testify. At all events, Miss Ophelia knew of nothingelse to do; and, therefore, applied her mind to her heathen with thebest diligence she could command.

The child was announced and considered in the family as Miss Ophelia'sgirl; and, as she was looked upon with no gracious eye in the kitchen,Miss Ophelia resolved to confine her sphere of operation and instructionchiefly to her own chamber. With a self-sacrifice which some of ourreaders will appreciate, she resolved, instead of comfortably making herown bed, sweeping and dusting her own chamber,--which she had hithertodone, in utter scorn of all offers of help from the chambermaid of theestablishment,--to condemn herself to the martyrdom of instructing Topsyto perform these operations,--ah, woe the day! Did any of our readersever do the same, they will appreciate the amount of her self-sacrifice.

Miss Ophelia began with Topsy by taking her into her chamber, the firstmorning, and solemnly commencing a course of instruction in the art andmystery of bed-making.

Behold, then, Topsy, washed and shorn of all the little braidedtails wherein her heart had delighted, arrayed in a clean gown, withwell-starched apron, standing reverently before Miss Ophelia, with anexpression of solemnity well befitting a funeral.

"Now, Topsy, I'm going to show you just how my bed is to be made. I amvery particular about my bed. You must learn exactly how to do it."

"Yes, ma'am," says Topsy, with a deep sigh, and a face of wofulearnestness.

"Now, Topsy, look here;--this is the hem of the sheet,--this is theright side of the sheet, and this is the wrong;--will you remember?"

"Yes, ma'am," says Topsy, with another sigh.

"Well, now, the under sheet you must bring over the bolster,--so--andtuck it clear down under the mattress nice and smooth,--so,--do yousee?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Topsy, with profound attention.

"But the upper sheet," said Miss Ophelia, "must be brought down in thisway, and tucked under firm and smooth at the foot,--so,--the narrow hemat the foot."

"Yes, ma'am," said Topsy, as before;--but we will add, what Miss Opheliadid not see, that, during the time when the good lady's back was turnedin the zeal of her manipulations, the young disciple had contrived tosnatch a pair of gloves and a ribbon, which she had adroitly slippedinto her sleeves, and stood with her hands dutifully folded, as before.

"Now, Topsy, let's see _you_ do this," said Miss Ophelia, pulling offthe clothes, and seating herself.

Topsy, with great gravity and adroitness, went through the exercisecompletely to Miss Ophelia's satisfaction; smoothing the sheets, pattingout every wrinkle, and exhibiting, through the whole process, a gravityand seriousness with which her instructress was greatly edified. By anunlucky slip, however, a fluttering fragment of the ribbon hung out ofone of her sleeves, just as she was finishing, and caught Miss Ophelia'sattention. Instantly, she pounced upon it. "What's this? You naughty,wicked child,--you've been stealing this!"

The ribbon was pulled out of Topsy's own sleeve, yet was she not inthe least disconcerted; she only looked at it with an air of the mostsurprised and unconscious innocence.

"Laws! why, that ar's Miss Feely's ribbon, an't it? How could it a gotcaught in my sleeve?

"Topsy, you naughty girl, don't you tell me a lie,--you stole thatribbon!"

"Missis, I declar for 't, I didn't;--never seed it till dis yer blessedminnit."

"Topsy," said Miss Ophelia, "don't you know it's wicked to tell lies?"

"I never tell no lies, Miss Feely," said Topsy, with virtuous gravity;"it's jist the truth I've been a tellin now, and an't nothin else."

"Topsy, I shall have to whip you, if you tell lies so."

"Laws, Missis, if you's to whip all day, couldn't say no other way,"said Topsy, beginning to blubber. "I never seed dat ar,--it must a gotcaught in my sleeve. Miss Feeley must have left it on the bed, and itgot caught in the clothes, and so got in my sleeve."

Miss Ophelia was so indignant at the barefaced lie, that she caught thechild and shook her.

"Don't you tell me that again!"

The shake brought the glove on to the floor, from the other sleeve.

"There, you!" said Miss Ophelia, "will you tell me now, you didn't stealthe ribbon?"

Topsy now confessed to the gloves, but still persisted in denying theribbon.

"Now, Topsy," said Miss Ophelia, "if you'll confess all about it, Iwon't whip you this time." Thus adjured, Topsy confessed to the ribbonand gloves, with woful protestations of penitence.

"Well, now, tell me. I know you must have taken other things since youhave been in the house, for I let you run about all day yesterday. Now,tell me if you took anything, and I shan't whip you."

"Laws, Missis! I took Miss Eva's red thing she wars on her neck."

"You did, you naughty child!--Well, what else?"

"I took Rosa's yer-rings,--them red ones."

"Go bring them to me this minute, both of 'em."

"Laws, Missis! I can't,--they 's burnt up!"

"Burnt up!--what a story! Go get 'em, or I'll whip you."

Topsy, with loud protestations, and tears, and groans, declared that she_could_ not. "They 's burnt up,--they was."

"What did you burn 'em for?" said Miss Ophelia.

"Cause I 's wicked,--I is. I 's mighty wicked, any how. I can't helpit."

Just at this moment, Eva came innocently into the room, with theidentical coral necklace on her neck.

"Why, Eva, where did you get your necklace?" said Miss Ophelia.

"Get it? Why, I've had it on all day," said Eva.

"Did you have it on yesterday?"

"Yes; and what is funny, Aunty, I had it on all night. I forgot to takeit off when I went to bed."

Miss Ophelia looked perfectly bewildered; the more so, as Rosa, at thatinstant, came into the room, with a basket of newly-ironed linen poisedon her head, and the coral ear-drops shaking in her ears!

"I'm sure I can't tell anything what to do with such a child!" she said,in despair. "What in the world did you tell me you took those thingsfor, Topsy?"

"Why, Missis said I must 'fess; and I couldn't think of nothin' else to'fess," said Topsy, rubbing her eyes.

"But, of course, I didn't want you to confess things you didn't do,"said Miss Ophelia; "that's telling a lie, just as much as the other."

"Laws, now, is it?" said Topsy, with an air of innocent wonder.

"La, there an't any such thing as truth in that limb," said Rosa,looking indignantly at Topsy. "If I was Mas'r St. Clare, I'd whip hertill the blood run. I would,--I'd let her catch it!"

"No, no Rosa," said Eva, with an air of command, which the child couldassume at times; "you mustn't talk so, Rosa. I can't bear to hear it."

"La sakes! Miss Eva, you 's so good, you don't know nothing how to getalong with niggers. There's no way but to cut 'em well up, I tell ye."

"Rosa!" said Eva, "hush! Don't you say another word of that sort!" andthe eye of the child flashed, and her cheek deepened its color.

Rosa was cowed in a moment.

"Miss Eva has got the St. Clare blood in her, that's plain. She canspeak, for all the world, just like her papa," she said, as she passedout of the room.

Eva stood looking at Topsy.

There stood the two children representatives of the two extremes ofsociety. The fair, high-bred child, with her golden head, her deep eyes,her spiritual, noble brow, and prince-like movements; and herblack, keen, subtle, cringing, yet acute neighbor. They stood therepresentatives of their races. The Saxon, born of ages of cultivation,command, education, physical and moral eminence; the Afric, born of agesof oppression, submission, ignorance, toil and vice!

Something, perhaps, of such thoughts struggled through Eva's mind. But achild's thoughts are rather dim, undefined instincts; and in Eva's noblenature many such were yearning and working, for which she had no powerof utterance. When Miss Ophelia expatiated on Topsy's naughty, wickedconduct, the child looked perplexed and sorrowful, but said, sweetly.

"Poor Topsy, why need you steal? You're going to be taken good care ofnow. I'm sure I'd rather give you anything of mine, than have you stealit."

It was the first word of kindness the child had ever heard in her life;and the sweet tone and manner struck strangely on the wild, rudeheart, and a sparkle of something like a tear shone in the keen, round,glittering eye; but it was followed by the short laugh and habitualgrin. No! the ear that has never heard anything but abuse is strangelyincredulous of anything so heavenly as kindness; and Topsy only thoughtEva's speech something funny and inexplicable,--she did not believe it.

But what was to be done with Topsy? Miss Ophelia found the case apuzzler; her rules for bringing up didn't seem to apply. She thought shewould take time to think of it; and, by the way of gaining time, and inhopes of some indefinite moral virtues supposed to be inherent in darkclosets, Miss Ophelia shut Topsy up in one till she had arranged herideas further on the subject.

"I don't see," said Miss Ophelia to St. Clare, "how I'm going to managethat child, without whipping her."

"Well, whip her, then, to your heart's content; I'll give you full powerto do what you like."

"Children always have to be whipped," said Miss Ophelia; "I never heardof bringing them up without."

"O, well, certainly," said St. Clare; "do as you think best. Only I'llmake one suggestion: I've seen this child whipped with a poker, knockeddown with the shovel or tongs, whichever came handiest, &c.; and, seeingthat she is used to that style of operation, I think your whippings willhave to be pretty energetic, to make much impression."

"What is to be done with her, then?" said Miss Ophelia.

"You have started a serious question," said St. Clare; "I wish you'danswer it. What is to be done with a human being that can be governedonly by the lash,--_that_ fails,--it's a very common state of thingsdown here!"

"I'm sure I don't know; I never saw such a child as this."

"Such children are very common among us, and such men and women, too.How are they to be governed?" said St. Clare.

"I'm sure it's more than I can say," said Miss Ophelia.

"Or I either," said St. Clare. "The horrid cruelties and outrages thatonce and a while find their way into the papers,--such cases as Prue's,for example,--what do they come from? In many cases, it is a gradualhardening process on both sides,--the owner growing more and morecruel, as the servant more and more callous. Whipping and abuse are likelaudanum; you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline.I saw this very early when I became an owner; and I resolved never tobegin, because I did not know when I should stop,--and I resolved,at least, to protect my own moral nature. The consequence is, that myservants act like spoiled children; but I think that better than for usboth to be brutalized together. You have talked a great deal about ourresponsibilities in educating, Cousin. I really wanted you to _try_ withone child, who is a specimen of thousands among us."

"It is your system makes such children," said Miss Ophelia.

"I know it; but they are _made_,--they exist,--and what _is_ to be donewith them?"

"Well, I can't say I thank you for the experiment. But, then, as itappears to be a duty, I shall persevere and try, and do the best Ican," said Miss Ophelia; and Miss Ophelia, after this, did labor, witha commendable degree of zeal and energy, on her new subject. Sheinstituted regular hours and employments for her, and undertook to teachher to read and sew.

In the former art, the child was quick enough. She learned her lettersas if by magic, and was very soon able to read plain reading; but thesewing was a more difficult matter. The creature was as lithe as acat, and as active as a monkey, and the confinement of sewing was herabomination; so she broke her needles, threw them slyly out of thewindow, or down in chinks of the walls; she tangled, broke, anddirtied her thread, or, with a sly movement, would throw a spool awayaltogether. Her motions were almost as quick as those of a practisedconjurer, and her command of her face quite as great; and though MissOphelia could not help feeling that so many accidents could not possiblyhappen in succession, yet she could not, without a watchfulness whichwould leave her no time for anything else, detect her.

Topsy was soon a noted character in the establishment. Her talent forevery species of drollery, grimace, and mimicry,--for dancing, tumbling,climbing, singing, whistling, imitating every sound that hit herfancy,--seemed inexhaustible. In her play-hours, she invariably hadevery child in the establishment at her heels, open-mouthed withadmiration and wonder,--not excepting Miss Eva, who appeared to befascinated by her wild diablerie, as a dove is sometimes charmed bya glittering serpent. Miss Ophelia was uneasy that Eva should fancyTopsy's society so much, and implored St. Clare to forbid it.

"Poh! let the child alone," said St. Clare. "Topsy will do her good."

"But so depraved a child,--are you not afraid she will teach her somemischief?"

"She can't teach her mischief; she might teach it to some children, butevil rolls off Eva's mind like dew off a cabbage-leaf,--not a drop sinksin."

"Don't be too sure," said Miss Ophelia. "I know I'd never let a child ofmine play with Topsy."

"Well, your children needn't," said St. Clare, "but mine may; if Evacould have been spoiled, it would have been done years ago."

Topsy was at first despised and contemned by the upper servants. Theysoon found reason to alter their opinion. It was very soon discoveredthat whoever cast an indignity on Topsy was sure to meet with someinconvenient accident shortly after;--either a pair of ear-rings orsome cherished trinket would be missing, or an article of dress wouldbe suddenly found utterly ruined, or the person would stumbleaccidently into a pail of hot water, or a libation of dirty slop wouldunaccountably deluge them from above when in full gala dress;-and on allthese occasions, when investigation was made, there was nobody found tostand sponsor for the indignity. Topsy was cited, and had up beforeall the domestic judicatories, time and again; but always sustained herexaminations with most edifying innocence and gravity of appearance.Nobody in the world ever doubted who did the things; but not a scrap ofany direct evidence could be found to establish the suppositions, andMiss Ophelia was too just to feel at liberty to proceed to any lengthwithout it.

The mischiefs done were always so nicely timed, also, as further toshelter the aggressor. Thus, the times for revenge on Rosa and Jane,the two chamber maids, were always chosen in those seasons when (as notunfrequently happened) they were in disgrace with their mistress, whenany complaint from them would of course meet with no sympathy. In short,Topsy soon made the household understand the propriety of letting heralone; and she was let alone, accordingly.

Topsy was smart and energetic in all manual operations, learningeverything that was taught her with surprising quickness. With a fewlessons, she had learned to do the proprieties of Miss Ophelia's chamberin a way with which even that particular lady could find no fault.Mortal hands could not lay spread smoother, adjust pillows moreaccurately, sweep and dust and arrange more perfectly, than Topsy, whenshe chose,--but she didn't very often choose. If Miss Ophelia, afterthree or four days of careful patient supervision, was so sanguine asto suppose that Topsy had at last fallen into her way, could do withoutover-looking, and so go off and busy herself about something else, Topsywould hold a perfect carnival of confusion, for some one or two hours.Instead of making the bed, she would amuse herself with pulling off thepillowcases, butting her woolly head among the pillows, till it wouldsometimes be grotesquely ornamented with feathers sticking out invarious directions; she would climb the posts, and hang head downwardfrom the tops; flourish the sheets and spreads all over the apartment;dress the bolster up in Miss Ophelia's night-clothes, and enact variousperformances with that,--singing and whistling, and making grimacesat herself in the looking-glass; in short, as Miss Ophelia phrased it,"raising Cain" generally.

On one occasion, Miss Ophelia found Topsy with her very best scarletIndia Canton crape shawl wound round her head for a turban, going onwith her rehearsals before the glass in great style,--Miss Opheliahaving, with carelessness most unheard-of in her, left the key for oncein her drawer.

"Topsy!" she would say, when at the end of all patience, "what does makeyou act so?"

"Dunno, Missis,--I spects cause I 's so wicked!"

"I don't know anything what I shall do with you, Topsy."

"Law, Missis, you must whip me; my old Missis allers whipped me. I an'tused to workin' unless I gets whipped."

"Why, Topsy, I don't want to whip you. You can do well, if you've a mindto; what is the reason you won't?"

"Laws, Missis, I 's used to whippin'; I spects it's good for me."

Miss Ophelia tried the recipe, and Topsy invariably made a terriblecommotion, screaming, groaning and imploring, though half an hourafterwards, when roosted on some projection of the balcony, andsurrounded by a flock of admiring "young uns," she would express theutmost contempt of the whole affair.

"Law, Miss Feely whip!--wouldn't kill a skeeter, her whippins. Oughtersee how old Mas'r made the flesh fly; old Mas'r know'd how!"

Topsy always made great capital of her own sins and enormities,evidently considering them as something peculiarly distinguishing.

"Law, you niggers," she would say to some of her auditors, "does youknow you 's all sinners? Well, you is--everybody is. White folks issinners too,--Miss Feely says so; but I spects niggers is the biggestones; but lor! ye an't any on ye up to me. I 's so awful wicked therecan't nobody do nothin' with me. I used to keep old Missis a swarin' atme half de time. I spects I 's the wickedest critter in the world;"and Topsy would cut a summerset, and come up brisk and shining on to ahigher perch, and evidently plume herself on the distinction.

Miss Ophelia busied herself very earnestly on Sundays, teaching Topsythe catechism. Topsy had an uncommon verbal memory, and committed with afluency that greatly encouraged her instructress.

"What good do you expect it is going to do her?" said St. Clare.

"Why, it always has done children good. It's what children always haveto learn, you know," said Miss Ophelia.

"Understand it or not," said St. Clare.

"O, children never understand it at the time; but, after they are grownup, it'll come to them."

"Mine hasn't come to me yet," said St. Clare, "though I'll beartestimony that you put it into me pretty thoroughly when I was a boy."'

"Ah, you were always good at learning, Augustine. I used to have greathopes of you," said Miss Ophelia.

"Well, haven't you now?" said St. Clare.

"I wish you were as good as you were when you were a boy, Augustine."

"So do I, that's a fact, Cousin," said St. Clare. "Well, go ahead andcatechize Topsy; may be you'll make out something yet."

Topsy, who had stood like a black statue during this discussion, withhands decently folded, now, at a signal from Miss Ophelia, went on:

"Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fellfrom the state wherein they were created."

Topsy's eyes twinkled, and she looked inquiringly.

"What is it, Topsy?" said Miss Ophelia.

"Please, Missis, was dat ar state Kintuck?"

"What state, Topsy?"

"Dat state dey fell out of. I used to hear Mas'r tell how we came downfrom Kintuck."

St. Clare laughed.

"You'll have to give her a meaning, or she'll make one," said he. "Thereseems to be a theory of emigration suggested there."

"O! Augustine, be still," said Miss Ophelia; "how can I do anything, ifyou will be laughing?"

"Well, I won't disturb the exercises again, on my honor;" and St. Claretook his paper into the parlor, and sat down, till Topsy had finishedher recitations. They were all very well, only that now and then shewould oddly transpose some important words, and persist in the mistake,in spite of every effort to the contrary; and St. Clare, after all hispromises of goodness, took a wicked pleasure in these mistakes, callingTopsy to him whenever he had a mind to amuse himself, and getting her torepeat the offending passages, in spite of Miss Ophelia's remonstrances.

"How do you think I can do anything with the child, if you will go onso, Augustine?" she would say.

"Well, it is too bad,--I won't again; but I do like to hear the drolllittle image stumble over those big words!"

"But you confirm her in the wrong way."

"What's the odds? One word is as good as another to her."

"You wanted me to bring her up right; and you ought to remember she is areasonable creature, and be careful of your influence over her."

"O, dismal! so I ought; but, as Topsy herself says, 'I 's so wicked!'"

In very much this way Topsy's training proceeded, for a year ortwo,--Miss Ophelia worrying herself, from day to day, with her, as akind of chronic plague, to whose inflictions she became, in time, asaccustomed, as persons sometimes do to the neuralgia or sick headache.

St. Clare took the same kind of amusement in the child that a man mightin the tricks of a parrot or a pointer. Topsy, whenever her sins broughther into disgrace in other quarters, always took refuge behind hischair; and St. Clare, in one way or other, would make peace for her.From him she got many a stray picayune, which she laid out in nuts andcandies, and distributed, with careless generosity, to all the childrenin the family; for Topsy, to do her justice, was good-natured andliberal, and only spiteful in self-defence. She is fairly introducedinto our _corps de ballet_, and will figure, from time to time, in herturn, with other performers.